Thursday, 18 July 2013

WELCOME TO PICTURESQUE ERNAKULAM


Kochi, formerly known as Cochin, is a city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kochi or Cochin is popularly known as the Queen of Arabian Sea, also flaunts one of the finest natural harbours of the world and was the centre of the world spice trade for many centuries. Old Kochi loosely refers to a group of islands which comprise Willingdon Island, Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, etc. Today Kochi includes Ernakulam city, old parts of Kochi, Kumbalangi, and outlying islands. It is one of the principal tourist destinations of Kerala. The city derives its name from the Malayalam word Kochazhi meaning small lagoon.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS

 Backwaters of Kochi

Backwaters of Kochi are a chain of brackish lagoons and lakes lying parallel to the Arabian Sea coast (known as the Malabar Coast) of Kerala state in southern India. In Cochin, the stretch from Kochi Azhi to Munambam Azhi, the serene backwaters are popularly known as Veeranpuzha. It is the northern extension of Vembanad Lake. Vembanad Lake (Vembanad Kayal or Vembanad Kol) is India's longest lake, and is the largest lake in Kerala. It is also one of the largest lakes in India.

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 Marine Drive 

Marine Drive is a picturesque promenade in Kochi. It is built facing the backwaters, and is a popular hangout for the local populace. Marine Drive is also an economically thriving part of the city of Kochi. With several shopping malls it is as an important centre of shopping activity in Kochi. The walkway has two contemporarily constructed bridges, the Rainbow bridge and the Chinese Fishing Net Bridge.The view of the setting and rising sun over the sea mouth, and the gentle breeze from the Vembanad Lake has made Marine Drive an important tourist destination in Kochi. Hundreds of people (both natives, and tourists) throng the walkway during the evenings.
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Wonderla


Wonderla Holidays also owns and operates the popular Veegaland amusement park in Kochi which was re-branded as Wonderla Kochi from April 2011. This park is situated on the top of a hill at Pallikkara, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the city of Kochi. The park was set up in 2000 and was designed by architect Joseph John.

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Bhoothathankettu

Bhoothathankettu is a dam and tourist spot in Kerala, India. It is situated outside the village of Pindimana, about 10 km away from the town of Kothamangalam and 50 km away from the main city of Kochi. The original natural dam has been supplemented by a modern dam impounding the Bhoothathankettu Reservoir (Thattekad Reservoir). During the Malayatoor pilgrim season, travelers use the roads through the forest .
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Fort Kochi 





Fort Kochi : situated on the Fort Kochi/Mattancherry peninsula, is the historical part of the city and home to many tourist attractions, such as the cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, the Mattancherry Palace and the Santa Cruz Basilica. 
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Kochi International Marina
Kochi International Marina: Kochi, nevertheless is an excellent stop for yachts, and the marina is placed ideally within the city, attached to the shoreline of the historic Bolgatty Palace Hotel in Bolgatty Island. The Kochi Marina is the only marina in India. It is owned by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.The marina provides berthing facility for yachts and also offers services like fuel, water, electricity and sewage pump-outs for boats. The marina is close to the international maritime route at the south west coast of the Indian Peninsula, with favorable conditions and minimum tidal variations throughout the year.





The Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (locally known as Kaloor International Stadium) is an international stadium in Kochi, Kerala, India. With a capacity to hold 60,000 spectators, the stadium was built in 1996. Originally constructed as a football stadium, it has played host to a number of international cricket and football matches. The extensive grounds of the stadium serve as venue for important exhibitions, cinema events and political rallies in the city. The stadium is quipped with floodlights for night play. The architecture of the stadium is unique compared to other stadia in India.




Willingdon Island


 Willingdon Island : A man-made island named after Lord Willingdon a former British Viceroy to india. Southern Naval Command, Cochin Harbour, Port Trust head quarters, Best hotels in the city,, major trading centers etc. are situated at Willingdon Island.
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Pallipuram Fort



It was built by the Portuguese in 1503. It is the oldest existing European fort in India. In 1789 the Dutch captured the fort in 1661[clarification needed] and sold it to the State of Travancore. This fort is situated in the northern extremity of the Vypeen island.

 
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Cherayi Beach
 
 One of the most beautiful stretches of lovely golden beaches of soft sand facing the Arabian sea , an azure sky and warm clear sea, gives a perfect ambience tempting you to take a dip, go on indulge yourself and let the waves sweep you off your body and spend your time lazing on the beach and relax in the breeze shade undisturbed for some time, quench your thirst from tender coconuts and encounter with many a friendly crabs.
The sun set providing the classic back drop is simply marvelous, for photo hunters to take a quick shot cut cruising into the sea ,if luck you could sigh the dolphin at play .few would disagree that nothing can compare with glorious landscape of cherai.
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 Kodanad




Kodanad is a rural riverside village of Ernakulam district, Kerala, southern India. Kodanad is situated on the south bank of Periyar river, about 42 kilometers east of Kochi. The nearest air port is Cochin International Airport which is about 20 km (12 mi) by road. The village is a major tourist destination because it houses an Elephant training center.
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Vypin




Vypin or Vypeen is one among a group of islands, that form part of the city of Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. The island is about 27 km long. Vypin is connected to mainland Kochi by a series of bridges known as the Goshree Bridges, which take off from Kalamukku in Vypin, touches other two island and lands in Marine Drive, Kochi. 



Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary
 
 

The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary, covering an area of barely 25 km², and located about 60 km north-east of Kochi (Kerala state, India), was the first bird sanctuary in Kerala. Salim Ali, one of the best known ornithologist described this sanctuary as the richest bird habitat on peninsular India. Thattekkad literally means flat forest, and the region is an evergreen low-land forest located between the branches of Periyar River, the longest river in Kerala.The Thattekkad Bird Sanctuary has a rich and varied birdlife.
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Munikkal Guhalayam





Located at top of a hill at Chengamanad, 30 km north of Kochi, this is a place shrouded in mythology. The word "Munikkal Guhalayam" literally means sages rock cave. It is believed that sage Jangaman had lived here around 2000 years ago, and the place was initially known as Jangaman, which later changed to Chengamanad. A famous Lord Murugan Temple is located on the spot where the sage is said to have meditated which was later consecrated by Chattambi Swamikal in 1898. Another story goes that Lord Murugan also called as Guhalayam had made this place his abode and hence the name Guhalayam

Museum

Hill Palace  museum
                                                                                                                                     



Hill Palace  is the largest archaeological museum in Kerala, near Tripunithura. It was the administrative office of Kochi Rajas. Built in 1865, the Palace complex consists of 49 buildings in the traditional architectural style, spreading across in 54 acres (220,000 m2). The complex has an archaeological Museum, a Heritage Museum, a Deer Park, a prehistoric park and a children's park.


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Parikshit Thampuran Museumsagh;srgo;iaeurypoiuwyuorglkshg;oso


 


Parikshit Thampuran Museum is located next to Shiva temple in Durbar hall road in Ernakulam. It is also famously known as Durbar Hall Art Gallery. It has the largest collections of ancient things especially belongs to 19th century. It is one of the finest museums in Kerala as well as in India also.It has various types of collection in it like statues in stone and in plaster of Paris, paintings, wall paintings, old coins etc and the collections belongs to kochi royal family. Once it was used by the Cochin royal family as Durbar Hall where they used to put meetings, used for office purpose and also to invite the guest to stay. The major attraction of this museum is Durbar hall which is designed beautifully.

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Museum of Kerala History




Museum of Kerala History: Important scenes of Kerala history are portrayed through sculptures. Greeting the visitor outside the museum is a statue of Parasurama, the mythological safe who is said to have created Kerala.







PALACE
 Mattancherry Palace  
 
Mattancherry Palace, also known as the Dutch Palace, in Mattancherry, Kochi, features Kerala murals depicting Hindu temple art, portraits and exhibits of the Rajas of Kochi.Mattancherry Palace with its medieval charm is situated at Palace Road, Mattancherry, Kochi. It was built by the Portuguese and presented to Veera Kerala Varma (1537–65), Raja of Kochi, in 1555 AD.The palace is a quadrangular structure built in Nālukettu style, the traditional Kerala style of architecture, with a courtyard in the middle. In the courtyard there stands a small temple dedicated to 'Pazhayannur Bhagavati', the protective goddess of the Kochi royal family. There are two more temples on either side of the Palace, one dedicated to Lord Krishna and the other to Lord Siva. Certain elements of architecture, as for example the nature of its arches and the proportion of its chambers are indicative of European influence in basic Nāluketttu style.
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Bolgatty Palace

Bolgatty Palace : Built by the Dutch in India, it is located in the scenic island popularly known as Bolgatty island in Kochi. One of the oldest existing Dutch palaces outside Holland, this quaint mansion, built in 1744, by Dutch traders, was later extended and lush green gardens were landscaped around it. The building was then the Governor's palace for the Dutch and later in 1909 was leased to the British. It served as the home of the British Governors, the seat of the British Resident of Cochin during the British regime. In 1947, when India gained independence, the palace became the property of the state and later converted into a heritage hotel resort.





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Kanjiramattom


Kanjiramattom in Ernakualm District, Kerala, India is a suburban area of the City of Kochi,Kerala, India, lying approx 25km southeast to the City of Kochi. The place is known for the Sheikh Fariddudin Mosque and its proximity to the famous Arayankavu Temple.The Mosque is famous for Kodikuthu. The Kanjiramattom Kodikuthu is celebrated on January 13 to 14 every year at Kanjiramattom in Ernakulam District. It is one of the most important religious festivals of Kerala and is very colorful.




St.Francis Church
 


St.Francis Church: originally built in 1503, is the oldest European church in India and has great historical significance as a mute witness to the European colonial struggle in the subcontinent.Vasco da Gama, who discovered the sea route from Europe to India, landed at Kappad near Kozhikode (Calicut) in 1498.[4] Vasco da Gama was followed by Pedro Álvares Cabral[4] and Afonso de Albuquerque. They built a fort at Kochi with permission from the Raja of Cochin. Within the fort, they built a church with a wooden structure, which was dedicated to St. Bartholomew. The neighbourhood is now known as Fort Kochi.











 Malayattoor


Malayattoor is a village in the North Eastern corner of Ernakulam District in the state of Kerala in South India. The name ‘Malayattoor’ is an amalgamation of three small words. Mala (Mountain) Arr (River) Oore (Place). This is to say, Malayattoor is a meeting place of mountain, river, and land.Kurisumudy is a mountain at Maiayattoor, 1269 'Ft. above sea level.Kurisumudy has its fame as a place visited by St. Thomas, one of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave a mandate to his Apostles to go out to the whole world and to proclaim the Good News. Taking upon himself this commandment, Thomas set out to India and landed at Kodungalloor in AD 52. He spent 20 years in India travelled through different parts of this great country of spirituality. He founded seven communities of believers which were Kodungailoor, Palayoor, Kottakavu, Kokkamangalam, Chayal, Kollam, and Niranam.





Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica

Santa Cruz Cathedral Basilica : a church built originally by the Portuguese and elevated to a Cathedral by Pope Paul IV in 1558, was spared by the Dutch conquerors who destroyed many Catholic buildings. Later the British demolished the structure and Bishop Dom Gomez Vereira commissioned a new building in 1887. Consecrated in 1905, Santa Cruz was proclaimed a Basilica by the Pope John Paul II in 1984. This magnificent church is a must see destination for tourists who come to Kochi. 








Thrikkakara Temple

Thrikkakara Temple is one of the few temples in India dedicated to Lord Vamana. It is situated in Thrikkakara, a village panchayat near Cochin in the state of Kerala, South India. It is located 10 km north east of Ernakulam between Thrissur-Ernakulam highway (NH 47), Seaport-Airport Road, Cochin University of Science and Technology and Model Engineering College. The temple houses lithic records of historic significance, and it finds mention in many of the hymns sung by the Tamil Vaishnavite Alwars, particularly Nammalvar of the 7th-9th century CE. It is also one of the 108 Divya Desams (divine places).







Aluva 


 Aluva , is a suburb of Kochi in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. Located on the River Periyar, Aluva is the industrial epicenter of the state. A major transportation hub, with easy access to all major forms of transportation, Aluva acts as corridor which links the highland districts to the rest of the state. Aluva, home to the summer residency of the Travancore royal family - the Alwaye Palace - is also famous for the Sivarathri festival celebrated annually at the sandbanks of Periyar. The Advaita Ashrams in Aluva founded in 1913 by Sree Narayana Guru, one of India's greatest social reformers adds to the cultural significance of the town.Today, whilst part of the Kochi urban agglomeration, Aluva is an autonomous municipality, its civic administration conducted by Aluva Municipal Council.
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 Kalady 
 
 
 
 
Kalady is a village located east of the Periyar river, in the Ernakulam district of Kerala, India. Notably, it is the birthplace of Sri Adi Shankara, and thus is a popular destination for pilgrims. Kalady started featuring in the spiritual map of India only after its rediscovery in the late 19th century by the then Shankaracharya of Sringeri and the subsequent consecration of a temple for Sri Adi Shankara in 1910. The Centenary of Kalady was celebrated in May 2010 and the story of Kalady has been documented in digital media.









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